Vacuum cleaner construction



Sept. 5, 1939. c. A. BROCK 2,171,343

VACUUM CLEANER CONSTRUCTION Original Filed Dec. 18, 1935 2 Shasta-Sheet l A TTORNE Y's.

. Sept. 5, 1939.

c. A. BROCK 2,171,843

VACUUM CLEANER EJONSTRUCT ION Original Filed Dec. 18, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR C'Zdrezyae fl Brae/f:

T T ORNE Y Patented Sept. 5, 1939 VACUUM CLEANER CONSTRUCTION Clarence A. Brock, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Rexair, Inc., Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Original application December 18, 1935, Serial No. 54,966. Divided and this application July 6, 1937, Serial No. 152,069

4 Claims.

This invention relates generally to vacuum cleaner constructions. The present application is a division of my prior co-pending application, Serial No. 54,966, filed December 18, 1935 and assigned to the assignee of the present invention.

One of the primary objects of the present invention is the provision of a housing structure in which a removable compartment is provided which serves to collect the dust separated by the mechanical separator and in addition, a compartment for housing the filter in order that this filter may be removed and cleaned from time to time when such is necessary or desirable.

In practice, it has been found that in vacuum ,cleaner constructions of this general type, the mechanical separators provided serve to separate the dust present in the air being processed and only a relatively small percentage of the dust escapes the mechanical separator which dust is collected in the filter adjacent the discharge outlet of the apparatus. In view of this situation, it has been found that only a small relatively compact filter is necessary and consequently, this filter may be disposed and housed entirely within the casing and its removal and cleaning is necessary at only relatively infrequent intervals.

Many otherand further objects, advantages,

and features of the present invention will becomeclearly apparent from the following specification when considered in connection with' the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a vacuum cleaner construction embodying the improvements of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a substantially enlarged vertical longitudinal sectional view of the vacuum cleaner construction shown in Fig. 1 illustrating one interior construction and arrangement of parts embodying the improvements of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 illustrating the interior construction and arrangement of parts of the improved vacuum cleaner construction on a slightly reduced scale.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line 44 of Fig. 2 showing With more particular reference to the drawings, the specific embodiment of the invention shown therein comprises in general a casing M which may be formed of composite sheet metal or other suitable construction and which is illustrated as a casting. The casing is preferably generally oval in shape and is provided in its central portion with a vertically extending partiton wall I I. The casing as a whole is open at the top and is adapted to receive a suitable cover l2. This cover I2 is provided with a flange 13 at its marginal edge adapted to mate with a corresponding flange 14 on the upper marginal edge of the casing to.

On one side of the partition wall I l in the cas ing I0 is mounted a blower housing I6 which has mounted thereina suitable electric motor I! serving to drive a plurality of centrifugal fans [8' which provide a multiple stage blower construction tending to draw air axially downward through the blower housing [6. The blower housing is provided at its upper end with an annular flange I9 which has a groove in the axial face thereof. A cover plate 20 has a grooved face adapted to mate with the grooved flange l9 and is secured thereto by means of a suitable annular series of screws 2 I. A pair of partitioning members 23 and 24 have registering circular apertures therein slightly larger than the diameter of the flange l9 and associated cover plate 20, and have complemental circular grooves in their adjacent faces. An annular packing strip 25, having beaded edges, and preferably formed of rubber or suitable resilient composition, has one beaded edge clamped between the cover plate 20 and flange l9 by means of the screws 2| and has its other beaded edge clamped between the partitioning members 23 and 24 and securely locked in place by means of bolts 26. It will be appreciated that the bolts 26 not only serve to lock the partitioning members 23 and 24 in predetermined position but also serve to interlock the flange I4 on the casing Hi to the flange I3 on the cover l2, thus securing the cover to the casing structure. Inasmuch as the partitioning members 23 and 24 have their marginal edges, throughout some considerable extent, exposed exteriorly of the casing, throughout this exposed area they may be provided with suitable finish moldings 28 to provide an attractive exterior appearance. A resilient padding element 66 may be secured to the lower axial end of the motor in order to cushion this portion of the apparatus with respect to th casing I0, particularly when the machine is not in operation.

The cover plate 20 has mounted substantially centrally thereof an annular series of ball bearings 30 in which is journaled a blower shaft II. This blower shaft 3i is preferably directly connected to the electric motor l1 and serves to drive the vertical series of centrifugal fans l3 which tend to draw air downwardly through the blower housing. Surrounding the bearing structure 30 in the cover member 20 is an annular series of inlet apertures 32 which serve to permit the flow of air from the upper portion of the casing enclosed by the cover plate, downwardly into the multistage blower l8. Secured to the upper end of the shaft 3| of the blower, above the cover plate 20, is a mechanical dust separator element 35 adapted to be driven by the shaft.

While the element 35 may be formed in any convenient manner, it has .been found preferable to construct it from a single, integral sheet metal stamping to provide a frusto conical structure having helically extending slots throughout substantially its entire peripheral surface as disclosed in detail and claimed per se in applicant's co-pending application Serial No. 152,070, filed July 6, 1937.

The dust separator element 35 is provided at its lower axial end with a radially extending flange 35 which is mounted on a suitable spider 38 secured to the shaft of the motor 3|. It will be seen that as the motor I! is run, air will be drawn inwardly through the slots in the separator element 35 by-means of the centrifugal blowers i8' and dust in such air will impinge upon the rounded surfaces of the bars serving to define these slots and be centrifugally driven away. In order to insure that no dust-laden air will enter the necessary clearance between the dust separator element and the cover plate 20, a series of radially disposed vanes 31 are formed on the lower side of the spider 38 blades act as a centrifugal fan and maintain a constant but relatively small outflow of air through this space, thus insuring that no dustladen air will enter the interior of the dust separator element at this point. It will therefore be seen that all air which enters the in-- terior' of the blower housing will have been processed to remove the dust therefrom and that a much smaller, but equally constant outflow of air will be created by the vanes 31 operating in the clearance between the dust separator element and the cover plate 20, thus insuring that all air passing through the annular series of inlet ports 32 to the blowers will be substantially dust-free.

The casing l0 has an inlet opening which may be formed integrally therewith and may be internally threaded to facilitate the connection of a flexible conduit 4| thereto which is adapted to be connected to any suitable nozzle, such for example as 42. An inlet duct is connected to the inlet opening 40 and serves to provide communication between the inlet opening 40 and the space within the casing adjacent the dust separator element 35 above the partitioning members 23 and 24. This conduit 45 preferably extends arcuately around the electric motor I! in the base of the casing and thence upwardly through suitable registering apertures in the partitioning members 23 and 24.

In the lower side of the casing on the opposite side of the partition wall from the portion in which the motor and blower are mounted, is a filter compartment generally designated as 50. Suitable louvers 5i are provided in the wall of the casing to permit the escape of air from the filter compartment 50. An outlet aperture is formed in These vanes or the partition wall II to provide communication between the compartment housing, the motor and blower, and the filter compartment and this aperture has preferably permanently mounted therein a nipple which is adapted to receive a dust filter bag 56 of a shape conforming substantially to the shape of filter compartment 50. This filter bag 56 is preferably secured on the nipple 55 by means of a garter spring 51 or other suitable securing means. The filter compartment is closed at its upper side by means of a removable partition member seated on a suitable gasket 5| and having one of its edges secured in a recess 62 formed in the casing ill. The opposite edge of this partition member 60 is retained in position by means of a spring element 33 secured to the partition wall II by means of a pair of bolts 54. This spring element 63 has a further important function which will hereinafter be clearly seen.

From the foregoing, it will be clear that dustladen air taken in by the nozzle 42 will be conducted through the flexible tube into the inlet 40. From the inlet 40 it will be conducted upwardly through the partition walls 23 and 24 into the upper portion of the casing in which is located the rotary dust separator element 35. It will be clear that the suction pressure generated by the multi-stage fan l8 driven by the electric motor I! will draw this dust-laden air toward the separator element 35 and that the separator element will function to remove the air by centrifugal force, the dust particles, and will draw only substantially pure processed air downwardly through the blower housing. It will be seen that the only outlet for the air drawn into the blower housing is through the nipple 55 in the partition wall II and hence into the filter bag 56 secured thereto. The filter bag will, therefore, serve to collect any dust which was not extracted from the air by means of the centrifugal dust separator element 35 and consequently only substantially pure air will be' passed from the filter compartment 50 out through the louvers 5|.

A suitable circular aperture 10 is provided in the upper surface of the cover l2 and has surrounding it a packing member 'H upon which is seated a removably mounted glass cover panel 12 retained in position by means of a suitable frame 13. It will be clear that this cover panel 12 is sufilciently large in order that access may be had to the rotatable dust separator element 35 and that this element may be cleaned, adjusted, dismounted or replaced at will without disturbing the mounting of the cover i2 on the casing I0.

As may be desired, a handle 14 may be suitably secured to-the top of the cover member I2 in order to provide convenient means for transporting the dust separating apparatus from place to place. The opposite end of the cover section l2 to that in which the rotary dust separator element is mounted is partitioned off by means of an integrally formed partition wall 16 which mates with the partition member 23 to provide a closed compartment at the upper end of the dust separator cover. In this compartment is mounted a suitable terminal block 11 to which is connected a cord 18 adapted to connect the dust separator with a suitable source of electric current. Also mounted within this compartment is a suitable switch 19 which serves to provide means by which the electric motor may be started and stopped. Connection wires 80 extend from the switch 19 and connector block 11 down to the electric motor H.

In the space between this portion of the cover section I 2, just described, and the upper surface -of the filter compartment is located a removable slidably mounted dust bin '5. This dust bin 85 preferably has an exterior face provided with a suitable handle 86 and mates closely with the adjacent walls of the casing 10 and cover II. The upper marginal edge of the dust bin is preferably beaded and provided with a finish molding 88 which, when the dust bin is slid into position, will mate with the finish molding 28 on the lower partition member 24 to provide a substantial continuation thereof which it will be seen extends entirely around the dust separator casing. The drawer or dust bin 85 preferably extends substantially the full width of the casing Ill and the under side of the partition member 23 is preferably provided with a resilient sealing strip seated therein throughout the extent which this partition element mates with the drawer in order to provide an effective and tight seal of the partition member 23 with respect to the top marginal edge of the bin 85. The rear wall of the bin on its exterior side substantially in the central portion thereof is provided with a spearhead 9| preferably formed integrally with the drawer and adapted to enter between the spaced prongs 92 of the spring element 63. These prongs 92 are preferably formed by bending suitable lateral projections on the spring element 63 between the points at which this spring element is securedto the partition wall ll. It will thus be appreciated that the dust bin 85 is maintained in predetermined position with respect to the casing in which it is mounted and that it is locked in position by means of the spring element l2 and the mating spearhead 9 i. It will further be seen that the top marginal edge of this drawer is eflectively sealed by means of the resilient sealing element 80.

A suitable aperture interconnects the portion of the casing in which the bin 8! is mounted with the portion of the casing surrounding the rotary separator element 35. Due to the centrifugal action of the rotary separator element 35 the dust particles in the air entering the portion of the casing in which this element is located will be driven to that portion farthest away from the rotary separator element 35 and will consequently drop directly into the dust bin 85. From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that as the nozzle 42 serves to draw dust from articles being cleaned, this dust will be conveyed through the inlet 40 and intake conduit 45 into the chamber surrounding the rotary dust separator element. At this point the dust particles will, by means of the rotary dust separator, be separated from the air and will drop into the bin 86'. The clean air passes downwardly through the multiple stage blower and out through the filter bag 56 which serves to subject the air to further cleaning action. From the construction described above, it

will be apparent that the dust bin I! may be conthe greater portion of the exhausted air will pass I outwardly through the louvers 5|.

Many other and further modifications ofthe invention falling within the scope of the subjoined cla s will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. In a dust separator, an enclosed casing, a compartment in said casing, mechanical dust separating means within said compartment, a filter compartment incommunication with said first mentioned compartment, a filter bag removably mounted in said filter compartment, a recess in said casing adjacent said filter compartment communicating with said first mentioned compartment, a receptacle removably mounted in said recess adapted to accumulate dust from said mechanical dust separating means, and means within said recess providing access to said filter compartment when said receptacle is removed from said casing.

2. In a dust separator, an enclosed casing, a

compartment in said casing, mechanical dust separating means within said compartment, a filter compartment in communication with said first mentioned compartment, a filter bag removably mounted in said filter compartment, a recess in said casing adjacent said filter compartment, communicating with said first mentioned compartment, a receptacle removably mounted in said recess adapted to accumulate dust from said mechanical' dust separating means, and a removable panel within said recess separating said recess from said filter compartment and providing access thereto when said receptacle is removed.

3. In a dust separator, an enclosed casing. a' compartment in said casing, mechanical dust separating means within said compartment, 9. filter compartment in communication with said first mentioned compartment, a filter bag removably mounted in said filter compartment, a recess in said casing adjacent said filter compartment communicating with said first mentioned compartment, a receptacle removably mounted in said recess adapted to accumulate dust from said mechanical'dust separating means, a removable panel separating said recess from said filter compartment providing access thereto when said receptacle is removed and spring means within said casing serving to lock said panel and receptacle in position within said casing.

4. In a dust separator, an enclosed casing, a compartment in said casing, mechanical dust separating means within said compartment, a filter compartment in communication with said first mentioned compartment, a filter bag removably mounted in said filter compartment, a recess in said casing adjacent said filter compartment communicating with said first mentioned compartment, a receptacle removably mounted in said recess adapted to accumulate dust from said mechanical dust separating means, a removable panel separating said recess from said filter compartment providing access thereto when said re- 'ceptacle is removed, and a spring element engaging-both said panel and receptacle in position 70 within said casing.

CLARENCE 

